International Grant Program

International Grant Program for Fiscal 2015

“Cultivating empathy through learning from our neighbors: Practitioners' exchange on common issues in Asia”

Background

This is the third year of our pilot program, which supports projects whose focus are on reviewing current challenges and issues shared among (Japan and other) Asian countries, and proposing policy recommendations. The primary focus of the program is on countries and areas in East and Southeast Asia.

In 2015, the program provides grant for projects to conduct mutual field visits and exchanges of local practitioners and other stakeholders, and for them to together develop policy recommendations and other outputs.

Through this program, we aim to build a new form of partnership among countries/areas in Asia, based on empathy shared among peers who face common challenges, instead of conventional ones such as donor / recipient relationships.

Each project needs to deliver all outputs listed below:1) Conduct minimum two mutual visits / exchanges between two or more target countries/areas, including project site visits and specific events for deeper sharing and understanding of each other;2) Analyze and review the challenges or issues in the targeted countries/areas and produce a policy recommendation as a tangible deliverable (encouraged to have a wide dissemination);3) Submit "Change Record" for each country/area twice during the grant period together with reports.

Potential Applicants

A team of members based in more than two target countries/areas from diversified backgrounds (practitioners, policy makers, researchers, local community leaders, media, etc.) with a proven record of delivering results in one of the thematic areas.

Grant amount (maximum per project)

a) Project focusing in two target countries/areas: 5 million yenb) Project focusing in three or more target countries/areas: 7 million yen

Total amount of grants

60 million yen

Project Proposal Period

From April 13th, 2015 to June 12th, 2015 3pm Japan Standard Time

Applications

Web-based application via Foundation website only

Selection of grants

Formal decisions on the awarding of grants will be made by the Toyota Foundation Board of Directors at meetings to be held in late September 2015, based on the deliberations of responsible Selection Committee consisting of external experts.

Program Guidelines, Application Form

Forum Grant

2015 International Grant Program opens another grant category, “Forum Grants” for grantees involving project representatives who received funding from the 2013/2014 International Grant Program.

Target Countries

East and Southeast Asia *1

Thematic Areas

One of the thematic areas of 2013-2014 Toyota Foundation International Grant Program:a) Aging Society, b) Multicultural Society, c) Consensus-building on local environmental issues / Renewable energy practices for sustainable community development

Project Duration

One year (Nov 2015 – Oct 2016)

Expected output

1) Organize study seminars related to the thematic areas of 2013/2014 IGP focusing on East / Southeast Asian countries / areas;2) Conduct field visits to more than one project sites of IGP granted projects, compile tangible outputs, and disseminate them.

Eligibility

1) The thematic areas should be same with 2013/2014 IGP focal areas2) To include at least one of the project representatives of 2013/2014 IGP granted projects

Grant amount (maximum per project)

10 million yen

Total amount of grants

25 million yen

Project Proposal Period

From April 13th, 2015 to June 12th, 2015 3pm Japan Standard Time

Applications

Prior consultation with the Toyota Foundation Program Officers (asianneighbors@toyotafound.or.jp) is required.

Selection of grants

Formal decisions on the awarding of grants will be made by the Toyota Foundation Board of Directors at meetings to be held in late September 2015, based on the deliberations of responsible Selection Committee consisting of external experts.